Superstition is a sin in D&D running, and most of them player are bound to commit this mistake in one way or another. There are some monsters that appear to be menacing, but not so much as to worry players, and it is then a potential TPK starts brewing. From beasts of all kinds to some of the creatures that remain a mystery in the history of the world and beyond, players see these and think they are easy to beat.
That thought can be the first step into one of the most terrifying experiences and a sure path to drawing a new character sheet. Undead creatures, creatures from other planes, aberrations, all small in size and even somewhat low in Challenge Rating, all the monster types in this list have been underestimated by players at least once, until it was too late to undo their mistake.
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5
Wolves
And other similar beasts
Wolves have to be some of the most infamous and infamous creatures to appear in any classic random encounter, and a great resource for skilled GMs to keep their players sharp and focused on the road ahead (and behind them too). These nasty creatures roam the forests and wilds in packs of no less than three members, always creating trouble for the unprepared and exhausted adventurers.
They prefer not only to hunt in groups and attack exhausted prey, but also ravage them during the nights, when they sleep comfortably in their bedrolls. In nine out of ten cases, wolves will not attack players directly, but stealthily observe their movements along the way, growing in hunger and numbers as time goes on. The problem is that these creatures use their natural weapons to surround, take down and bite to death the weakest member of the group. That is, of course, if the GMs play their cards right. Wolfpacks are nasty enemies to drop on an unsuspecting party, and they can be tiresome to face repeatedly. But imagine a party traveling across the plains, constantly harassed by a large pack of wolves in the dead of winter. It's no joke at all, and no player should underestimate their Pack Tactics and ability to make characters fall prone.
4
Redcap
Nasty little creatures
The Redcap are the nastiest and meanest of all the common Fey, a bunch of bloody, murderous little garden gnomes (though they aren't and actually hate gnomes with all their might). It's amazing how such a small framed creature can contain the vast amount of evil these creatures are capable of. From massacring entire villages in their sleep to stealing and selling babies in the Feywild, these pesky little blenders can do it all just for fun.
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They despise all humanoids, but above all else, their hatred of other Good-aligned Fey is the stuff of legend. The war between the Redcaps and the Fairies is a legend and has spanned centuries without the mortals even noticing (until a sudden skirmish on the edge of the woods brings it to their attention). Redcaps tend to live in groups of dozens and prefer to ambush their enemies while they are least aware of their presence. Masters of illusion and enchantment, a group of Redcaps are an angry mob of small evil grandfather-like vermin waiting for an excuse to smash any adventure to bits. Judge them by their size, and it could be the last mistake you ever make.
3
Sturgeon
Like mosquitoes, but much more dangerous
Sturgeon is a lesser known beast type, originating from the Malatran Jungle during the time before the Godswar. Now they inhabit almost every swampy and dark corner of Faerûn (and other worlds as well). These creatures are a cross between a crow, a mosquito and a bat, with sharp claws that they use to lock onto their prey and a sharp needle-like beak that is used to suck the blood from their victims in an instant.
Being attacked by a cloud of Stirges is no joke, as the only way to remove a Stirge attached to its prey is to kill it. And Stirges is never alone; they live in colonies of up to 30 (sometimes even more) individuals, have a relatively short reproductive cycle, and tend to hang around watercourses in forested areas, waiting for their next prey to approach for a drink. They prefer to attack livestock and easy prey, but a starving herd of Stirges will chase adventurers down to the corners of the world if the need arises. Additionally, players stung by a Stirge will have to make a Constitution check (if the DM is playing by the old rules) or suffer a blood-related disease, which could even be the evil and deadly Darkrot.
2
Undead
Not undead again!
For each GM using Undead attack trope in one of their Runes, an angel from the Astral Sea gains its wings. Now, seriously, the Undead are not to be underestimated: They are resilient, despite being walking corpses, they come in a wide variety, and it is difficult to correctly identify them unless players make a successful religion or arcana check, and above all else, there are many. Zombies, skeletons and other evil undead creatures often guard the lairs of the higher undead, such as Wights, Wraiths or the most dangerous of them all: Laches. They're also the favorite pet of necromancers, evil wizards, and cultists, so tripping over them while digging into dungeon spells: “Here lives an evil fellow,” triggering the sense of the party's Paladin to strike.
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These aberrations are often associated with dark gods such as Bane, Bhaal, Myrkul and the almost forgotten but evil Kyric. Zombies and skeletons (also known as lesser undead) inhabit crypts and abandoned cemeteries, while the most dangerous creatures, such as shadows, wraiths, ghosts, wights, and even vampires, prefer to live in remote places where humanoids rarely venture. Underestimating these creatures is akin to courting death; but even veteran players tend to think that with a bit of radiant damage, all the undead go away. This might work when there are only a few of them, but in higher CR, these vile creatures are a nightmare for all types of players, both experienced and new.
1
Elementals
Oh no! They are immune to Bard's Charms
The problem with Elementalsis not only that they are extremely difficult to handle, but that they come in four different types and several different sizes and thus Challenge Ratings. Players tend to think that Lesser Elementals, whose CR is laughably low, can't hurt them, and that's a big mistake. Veteran players actually prefer to fight a single, larger elemental rather than various smaller elementals swarming them and dealing different types of elemental damage and effects. These extraplanar beings are prime TPK producers.
A fight against half a dozen Lesser Elementals is exhausting, not only because they'll use every part of their bodies to deal damage (they are big masses of animated elementals, after all). Additionally, they have Multiattack and different abilities depending on their elemental type. The water elementals are fast and hard to hit, and will engulf players and try to drown them at the slightest chance. Fire elementals are self-explanatory: No one wants a huge, angry flame chasing them down. Air elementals are tricky because they will knock players away if they don't make a strength save. Earth (and clay) elementals, on the other hand, are more robust, able to burrow and take the form of inanimate objects. Each elemental type is a dangerous foe, and by their combined powers they will destroy unwitting parties if given the chance.
- Franchise
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Dungeons & Dragons
- Original release date
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1974
- Designer
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E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson
